The brief
The owners had inherited a symmetrical house with a lawn that ran out to nothing. They wanted structure that matched the architecture, something to look at from upstairs in winter, and a garden that glows in the evening.
What we did
We set out a parterre on the main axis of the house: boxwood-alternative hedging in compartments, gravel walks and a central stone basin. Each compartment holds seasonal planting the care crew changes twice a year.
Low-voltage uplights sit in the hedge corners and along the walk, wired to a timer and a single switch inside the house. Drainage under the gravel keeps the walks firm after heavy rain.
A year on
The hedges closed up in their second season. We clip them twice a year and swap the bedding in April and October.